1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cleansing-lustering method and a cleansing-lustering agent for working the method. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for foaming a cleansing-lustering agent on the surface of tires such as of automobiles and bicycles thereby cleansing the tires of dirt and, at the same time, imparting luster thereto, a method for controlling the period of the foamed state of the agent, and a cleansing-lustering agent for working the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a dirty automobile tire is cleansed of dirt by first brushing and washing the tire with water thereby ridding the tire of dust, mud, etc., then spraying a spray type lustering agent on the tire, and finally wiping the sprayed lustering agent off the tire as with a towel.
Methods of this sort are disadvantageous because the brushing action may scratch the coating of an aluminum wheel used with the tire. The spray type cleansing-lustering agents heretofore known to the art are those of the solvent type produced by dissolving silicone oil in petroleum type solvents and chlorine type solvents and those of the O/W emulsion type produced by emulsifying silicone oil with water. The solvent type agents feature a quick-drying property but have the drawback of causing the rubber of the tire to swell. Further, on account of the use of a volatile solvent, these agents may adversely affect the health of workers handling the agents.
The O/W emulsion type cleansing-lustering agents, though having no adverse effect on tires, have the disadvantage that the foam of the sprayed agent does not easily vanish and, therefore, must be wiped off the surface as with a towel.
Now, examples of the cleansing agents well known in the art will be described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,110 discloses a composition of the type intended as a cleansing agent and adapted from the beginning to produce no foam. U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,739 discloses a composition as a cleansing agent. It contains no mention anywhere of the condition of foaming and defoaming of this composition prepared in the form of an aerosol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,745 discloses a composition as a cleansing agent and makes no mention anywhere of the state of foam to be produced when the composition is prepared in the form of an aerosol. This composition, when prepared in the form of gel or in a thixotropic form, does not foam after the fashion of an aerosol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,125 discloses a composition as a cleansing agent. Though this composition uses a defoaming agent, the defoaming agent is used therein solely for the purpose of eliminating the inconvenience of foam to be otherwise encountered during the manufacture or use of the composition. This U.S. patent, therefore, contains no mention anywhere of any foam in the form of aerosol. The four U.S. patents mentioned above aim to prevent the relevant compositions from foaming by the incorporation of a foam adjusting agent.
The present inventors formerly disclosed their inventions concerning O/W emulsion type cleansing agents in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure SHO 63 (1988)-51499 and SHO 64 (1989)-11175 and further secured grant of U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,557 on their U.S. patent application claiming Convention priority on Japanese Patent Public Disclosure SHO 63 (1988)-51499 (Japanese Patent Application SHO 61 (1986)-194038). These inventions all relate to methods based on a procedure which comprises spraying a cleansing agent on a given surface to be cleaned, allowing the agent deposited on the surface to foam and then spontaneously defoam into a liquid state, and permitting the liquid to flow down the surface while cleansing and lustering the surface.
There is, however, a need to adjust the foam retention time in this process, particularly to shorten the time required for the cleansing and lustering.
The present inventors therefore made a study with a view to developing a cleansing-lustering agent and a cleansing-lustering method capable of responding to this need. They have consequently accomplished this invention.